Columbia, CA…The Sonora Bach Festival, celebrating its 40th year, presents its Youth Finalists Concert, October 9, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. Featuring local performers under the age of 18, the concert will be held at the Church of the 49ers in Columbia. Tickets are available online at sonorabach.org , or by calling 536-6330. Tickets are also available at the door. More information is available on the Festival webpage and on the Festival’s Facebook page at SonoraBachFestival.

The Sonora Bach Festival, celebrating its 40th year, will present the second event of the October Festival, Sunday October 9 at 3 p.m. at the Church of the 49ers in Columbia. The concert will feature 15 musicians between the ages of 7 and 17. Former Tuolumne county resident and current University of the Pacific (UOP) voice major, Savannah Bailey will be the Guest Artist accompanied by Monica Swope, UOP Accompanist. Students will perform music by composers of the Baroque and Classical Eras including Bach, Johann Christian Bach, Clementi and Scarlatti. Accompanists for some of the soloists will be will be Gail Johnson and Joy Willow.

Selected in September by audition, all the students were evaluated in their performance and given written comments by the judges for their growth and instruction. The panel of three judges were Kyle Dooley of Music Instructor at Soulsbyville Elementary School, Daryl Hollinger, Adjunct Music Instructor at Columbia College and Ron Randall, conductor of the Sonora Hills Chorus.

“The audition process is meant to be a challenging one for the students” said concert coordinator and Festival Director Sandra Betti. “By requiring them to audition, we are helping them to confront stage fright and to work toward the goal of perfecting a piece for musical performance. These challenges are both wonderful skills for performing musicians to learn”.

In addition to learning performing skills, the selected students were also given a scholarship to serve as an additional incentive and encouragement in their studies.

In keeping with theme of the festival, students are required to learn music from the 1600’s through the 1700s. Music to be performed by the students, in addition to that of J.S. Bach, includes composers Caldara, Scarlatti, Johann Christian Bach, Gluck, Benda, Sarti, Clementi, and Lotti.

The program features fifteen performers between the ages of 7 and 17: six singers, seven pianists and two violinists. Students Performing at the Youth Concert are Benjamin Billiet, Jake Boyd, Jade Coard, Dorothy Davenport, Alissa DeAnda, Alexandria Dowie, Genevieve Florez, Hannah Husher, Sabrina Jensen, Daniel Kook,
Jonathan Kristapovich, Hunter Riordan, Lena Rosen, Louise Rosen, and Stephanie St. Clair. Teachers of students who will be performing are Ron Brickman, Gail Johnson, Trudi Kraus, Louise McPeeters, and Carolyn Sylva.

This year’s guest artist is former Soulsbyville and Connections Academy student Savannah Bailey. Savannah is currently a junior vocal performance major at The University of the Pacific studying with voice Professor, Lynelle Wiens. A member of the Opera Theatre’s program, Savannah has performed in productions of Berlin to Broadway: A Kurt Weil Musical Review, Mozart’s unfinished Opera The Goose of Cairo (L’oca del Cairo), Brundibar by Czech composer Hans Krasa and Offenbach’s La Vie Pariesienne.

Having grown up in Soulsbyville, Savannah immersed herself in music and performance. According to her former Tuolumne county voice teacher, Louise McPeeters, she dedicated herself “to perfecting her voice” and “ was supported in all of her musical endeavors by her loving family”. As a Connections Academy student she performed in The Sound of Music, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Into the Woods, and other productions. She also performed with the Show Choir, Zero Hibernation Jazz Band and the Orange Crush Band.

This is a return of sorts to the Bach Festival for Savannah. Having begun vocal studies in 2011 with McPeeters, Savannah became a regular performer at the Bach Festival Youth Concert throughout her High School years. She was also a winner in the Red Church Scholarship Auditions.

Says McPeeters “Savannah Bailey is one of the finest students I have had the privilege to teach. She is a joyful young woman who shares that joy through her beautiful singing”.

Her program for the concert will be vocal music by Bel Piacere and Va Godendo Handel, Stizzoso Mio Stizzoso by Pergolesi, Lachen und Weinen by Franz Schubert, Chanson d’amore by Gabriel Faure and Mein Herr Marquis from Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss.

Savannah will be accompanied by UOP staff Accompanist Monica Swope. Monica holds a degree in Vocal Performance from UOP. She has been a director of many musical productions at the University including Paint Your Wagon, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and others. She also has extensive experience as a vocal soloist.